Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Georgian Premier Georgi Gakharia met with mass media representatives and made statements following their private talks and the expanded-format meeting between the two government delegations.
Below is the full text of their statements.
RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – “Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
Distinguished mass media representatives,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to once again welcome the Prime Minister of Georgia and his delegation. Dear Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to Armenia.
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I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you once again on assuming the post of Prime Minister of Georgia. I am confident that Georgia has noticed that from the first day of my tenure in office the Armenian-Georgian relations started developing with special warmth. This reflects my belief that the relations with Georgia are of special importance to Armenia.
It was no coincidence that as Prime Minister I made my first outgoing visit to Georgia. I am glad that the dynamics of our contacts, the level of trust indicate that either Georgia attaches particular importance to its relations with Armenia.
I am pleased with the talks held with my Georgian counterpart, which came to reaffirm the high level of relations and the reciprocal willingness to boost their development.
We went over the quasi-totality of issues on our bilateral agenda. We have such a hectic agenda that it is difficult to discuss all issues during one meeting. We both appreciated the re-launch of the activities of the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission after a long pause. We expressed confidence that it would be possible to implement the agreements reflected in the protocol of the commission’s 10th session through joint efforts.
It was also important that a business forum was held on the sidelines of the session, which can open up new horizons for trade and economic exchanges between our two countries.
We attached importance to the implementation of transport and energy programs from the perspectives of development of bilateral economic relations and ensuring regional stability.
We were unanimous as regards the deepening of humanitarian ties. In this respect, it is important to maintain the pace of bilateral contacts. We underlined the importance of preserving each other’s cultural heritage and appreciated the efforts made in this direction.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
A key priority on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda is to create an atmosphere of regional peace and security. In this regard, we are convinced that the continued development of the Armenian-Georgian relations should be free from external factors.
Taking the opportunity, we touched upon the regional conflicts. We agreed that the comprehensive and lasting settlement of conflicts is possible exclusively through peaceful means in accordance with the principles of international law. I once again presented our position that each conflict is unique, and therefore, any solution should derive from their essence. In this regard, we emphasized the importance of abiding by a balanced position with regard to sensitive issues.
Mr. Prime Minister, I believe that your visit will contribute to the furtherance of the Armenian-Georgian multifaceted cooperation, and we will maintain the positive momentum for the sake of continued development of our bilateral relations.
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia – “Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
Dear media representatives,
I am glad that this first visit to Armenia was paid in my new status. We referred to many issues of topical interest. First, we touched upon the friendly relations between the two countries, which boast a centuries-long history. We will further deepen and expand our friendship.
Economy is indeed the most significant factor in our bilateral relations. We are making good progress here. We talked about transport, discussed energy cooperation issues, and outlined a roadmap for promoting exchanges in the field of culture.
We referred to regional issues and agreed that peace and stability is what matters most in ensuring economic growth and prosperity.
Armenia favors our territorial integrity, which is very important for us, and we are thankful for it. I think we should maintain this positive momentum and enhance the mutual support on international platforms.
I am convinced that today’s meeting will be another step forward on the way to deepening the ongoing cooperation between our two countries.”
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME-MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA